Fortuna police continue investigation into pepper spray assault

Fortuna Police Department officials are continuing their investigation into a home invasion at a 12th Street apartment complex that sent five people -- including an infant and a toddler -- to the hospital after they were doused with bear pepper spray.

The four suspects, who allegedly forced their way into the apartment Wednesday morning looking for stolen marijuana, were out on bond by 5:30 p.m. that evening, according to a jail report. The suspects include Loleta dairyman James Michael O'Neil and Trevor Bohn, the son of Supervisor Rex Bohn.

Fortuna Police Chief William Dobberstein described the scene at the apartment complex as "complete chaos."

"When I pulled up at the apartments, I could tell who the victims were because they all had puffy, red eyes from the spray," he said. "There were probably close to 50 people gathered outside, and they were all obviously very agitated and upset."

Dobberstein said the six FPD officers who responded to the apartment complex on the 100 block of 12th Street at 10 a.m. found several people gathered outside who said that they had been assaulted with bear pepper spray by a group of men.

Using the victims' statements, Dobberstein said officers pieced together that the four men broke into the apartment and forcibly held a man and a woman in a bedroom while demanding marijuana, and sprayed them with pepper spray.

The suspects then allegedly attempted to forcibly remove the man from the apartment, at which point numerous occupants -- including the infant and toddler -- were sprayed, Dobberstein said. No evidence of marijuana was found during a search of the apartment, he said.

"The thing that got me was seeing the children who had been sprayed with the Mace," Dobberstein said.

Five of the victims, including the two children, were transported to the hospital by City Ambulance to be treated for moderate injuries caused by the bear pepper spray. Dobberstein said a total of 10 victims experienced symptoms associated with exposure to the spray.

A resident of the apartment complex -- who requested that her name not be used, fearing retribution -- said she was outside smoking a cigarette when she was approached by the suspects prior to the assault.

"At first I thought they were probation officers," she said. "But then, by the tone of their voice, I could tell something else was going on. They were looking for someone in one of the apartments. I told them I couldn't help them."

The woman said after the men walked away, she heard yelling coming from one of the apartments.

"It was pretty scary," she said. "A lot of the neighbors started coming out to see what was going on, and that's when we saw the men leaving and that the kids had been sprayed."

According to Dobberstein, the man was able to free himself, at which point, the four men fled in two vehicles before officers arrived. Moments later, officers stopped two suspected vehicles. Dobberstein said a search of one of the vehicles -- registered to and driven by Gregory Stephens, 36, of Eureka -- turned up $1,060 and a pistol. A search of the second vehicle -- registered to and driven by James Michael O'Neil, 58, -- revealed two more pistols and $2,183.

Officers arrested Stephens, O'Neil and O'Neil's passengers, Eureka residents Wyatt Williamson, 26, and Trevor Bohn, 27. The four men were booked into the Humboldt County jail on suspicion of burglary, false imprisonment, felony child abuse, kidnapping and assault with a deadly weapon.

Lt. Wayne Hanson said the Humboldt County Sheriff's Office Drug Task Force was contacted by the Fortuna Police Department in regard to asset forfeiture for the money found in the vehicles during the arrest.

Hanson said Fortuna police would investigate the source of the money. If the money appeared to be from drug proceeds, the drug task force might conduct an asset forfeiture, he said.

The investigation is ongoing, and the Fortuna Police Department is asking anyone with information to contact the department at 725-7550 or, to remain anonymous, contact the department's WeTip Hotline at 1-800-78-CRIME.